I remember soldiers from the Gordon Barracks walking at a smart pace up Darland Avenue. I also remember my father holding a Sunday School at the gypsy camp: sometimes he took me, but I was quite scared (which on reflection, is sad.) Another memory I have of those years is that I realised one day I was well able to walk up Barnsole Road from school and so save the penny bus fare for my own needs and purposes!Thank you to the lady who replied to my 'henandderek' name. As I can't see that post here I have no idea how you made that contact..haha

henanderek. Before WW2, during the Summer, my mother, elder sister & I would walk- we walked everywhere in those days-from Cornwallis Ave., up Woodlands Road & Darlands Avenue to have a picnic on the banks. On the way we always called in at a " corner shop" (not on a corner) which was a converted - downstairs-house on the right to buy a treat. My sister always had a Tiffin bar & I a Crunchie bar. Bliss! sitting in the sun admiring the view & running up & down the banks. I don't think there were any houses at the back of Darland Ave. & the Darland houses only went about half way up. It's funny but, although Gordon Barracks are shown on my map as being on the left, I don't remember ever seeing any soldiers there; no sentries, no nothing!

I lived in Audley Avenue from 1956-1961 when only about 8 houses were built on either side of the road. Many hours were spent playing on the open ground which led to the banks. Family walks down to the oast houses at the bottom were often a feature of weekends. I got into BIG trouble for walking along the banks to Chatham Grammar School one day as we were not allowed up there unsupervised-bad people might be spying on young lovers in the bushes! A small boy who lived across the road told his mother he wanted to play with 'henandderek'. My mother told her my name is actually Heather, but he couldn't manage it. Happy memories.

davidt

I tried adding this to an existing topic, but got no responses, so I thought I'd try a new more specific topic:

I've been wondering about the history of the Darland Banks. I know it's a nature reserve now, but I would think that's a fairly recent development. I have a few old postcards of the area, some dating back around 100 years and it seems to have been a public space for some time. Does anyone know anything of the history of the area? A lot of the tracks look well worn so I'd think they've been there for some time. I also notice that a lot of it seems to be divided up into fields - was it a farm at some point?

Since my original post I've been wondering if it was anything to do with the defences of the old fort.

Alternatively perhaps it's just a case of the slope being too steep to be of any practical use so it just became a publicly used area - i.e. common land. The bits at the top and the bottom are reasonably flat though.

Anyone out there know?

I've attached a couple of scans from my postcard collection.

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davidt

I walk along the Darland Banks quite often at lunchtime as it's a great place for stretching your legs after being stuck at a desk all morning. I was wondering, as I was walking the other day, about the history of the place. I know it's a nature reserve now, but I would think that's a fairly recent development. I have a few old postcards of the area, some dating back around 100 years and it seems to have been a public space for some time. Does anyone know anything of the history of the area? A lot of the tracks look well worn so I'd think they've been there for some time. I also notice that a lot of it seems to be divided up into fields - was it a farm at some point? Anyone out there know?

The Rook

I just though I'd say that I also did all of the antics described above, too. You could easily spend the whole day up there. I remember when the hadn't built the top-end of the Gillingham Business Park, so it was even bigger than it is now.

I remember the bomb crater. It was THE place to ride your BMX. They filled it in about 1994ish at a guess?

Rex

Oh Yes! I know what you mean aitch! Many a time I went home with with cuts, bruises etc and got a clip round the ear for ruining my clothes as well to add insult to injury!

The 3 grass "sledging runs" I remember were about 200 yards along from the site of the old gypsy camp at the top of Ash Tree Lane, the second being just along from the line of bushes that was the boundary line between Chatham and Gillingham, (roughly in line with Hunters Way) and third being on the "2nd" Banks as we called it, between Star Lane and Hoath Lane by the Power Cable poles at the top of the Banks. Wonderfully happy childhood memories!

absulutly correct, afsrochester, i also went wizzing down the banks on the corrigated iron and car bonnets and doors, who knows, we probably all bumped into each other at some time..great fun, you couldnt get away with these days...not with all these safety laws, haha

Oh Yes! I know what you mean aitch! Many a time I went home with with cuts, bruises etc and got a clip round the ear for ruining my clothes as well to add insult to injury!

The 3 grass "sledging runs" I remember were about 200 yards along from the site of the old gypsy camp at the top of Ash Tree Lane, the second being just along from the line of bushes that was the boundary line between Chatham and Gillingham, (roughly in line with Hunters Way) and third being on the "2nd" Banks as we called it, between Star Lane and Hoath Lane by the Power Cable poles at the top of the Banks. Wonderfully happy childhood memories!

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aitch

As a child living in Eastcourt Lane we used to go up the Darland banks alot to play in the old army area and to go to the banks themselves and slide down them on an old car door, a lump of corrigated iron or if a car had been dumped and we could remove the bonnet this was "the bees knees" for speed and thrills had many a close shave to broken bones usually just had a few bruises and scratches - what fun we had.

Also Hoath lane had no street lights just white painted strips around the trees so car drivers could see them!!!!

Thank you Rossco for your post. Very Interesting. There doesn't appear to be any signs of the quarry left today. Indeed, I don't recall any even when I was a kid nearly 50 odd years ago.

Kyn. I never thought about that, although Fort Darland was a good distance from the track, on the top of the Darland Banks. I know there were several stories about when we were kids about tunnels running under the Darland banks supposedly leading to Fort Luton.